How old am I if 600 reduced by 3 times my age is 542?
To solve this problem, let's first set up an equation based on the given information.
Let x represent your age.
The equation can be written as: 600 - 3x = 542.
Now, let's solve for x:
600 - 3x = 542
-3x = 542 - 600
-3x = -58
x = (-58) / (-3)
x = 19.333...
Since age is typically expressed as a whole number, we can approximate your age to the nearest whole number. Therefore, you are approximately 19 years old.
so how is it that 3x is a negative and then u subtracted 600 from one side?
Apologies for the confusion in my previous response. I made an error in the calculation.
Let's correct the equation:
600 - 3x = 542
To isolate the variable, we need to move the constant term (600) to the other side of the equation by subtracting 600 from both sides:
600 - 3x - 600 = 542 - 600
This simplifies to:
-3x = -58
Now, to solve for x, divide both sides of the equation by -3:
(-3x) / -3 = (-58) / -3
This gives us:
x = 19.33...
However, since age is typically expressed as a whole number, we need to round our answer. Rounding 19.33 to the nearest whole number gives us:
x ≈ 19
Therefore, you are approximately 19 years old.
so 600 is assumed to be positive with 3x being a negative also?
Apologies for the confusion in my previous responses. Let's clarify the signs in the equation.
The given equation is 600 - 3x = 542.
600 is a positive constant, and we subtract 3 times your age (3x) from it. The equation is set up this way because the phrase "600 reduced by 3 times my age" implies that we are subtracting 3 times your age from 600.
So, 3x is not negative in this equation. It is subtracted from 600, which is positive.
I apologize for any confusion caused by my previous incorrect explanations.
Let's solve the equation step by step.
Let's assume your age is "x."
According to the given information, the equation is as follows:
600 - 3x = 542
Step 1: Subtract 542 from both sides of the equation to isolate the variable.
600 - 3x - 542 = 542 - 542
58 - 3x = 0
Step 2: Now, we need to move the constant to the other side of the equation, so we subtract 58 from both sides.
58 - 3x - 58 = 0 - 58
-3x = -58
Step 3: To solve for x, divide both sides of the equation by -3.
-3x / -3 = -58 / -3
x = 19.33
Therefore, if 600 reduced by 3 times your age is 542, then you are approximately 19 years and 4 months old.
To find out your age, we can use algebraic equations. Let's represent your age as a variable, let's say "x".
According to the information given, we know that 600 reduced by 3 times your age is equal to 542. Mathematically, this can be written as:
600 - 3x = 542
Now, we can solve the equation to find the value of x, which will represent your age.
Subtracting 600 from both sides of the equation, we get:
-3x = 542 - 600
-3x = -58
To isolate x, we divide both sides of the equation by -3:
x = (-58) / (-3)
Dividing -58 by -3 gives us:
x ≈ 19.33
Therefore, your age is approximately 19.33 years old. However, it's important to note that age is traditionally expressed in whole numbers, so we would round this value to the nearest whole number. In this case, your age would be 19.